I agree with the level requirements on gear -- that's just stupid.
But the stat requirements are fair. If melee weapons didn't require dex or str to use them, nobody would ever pump str, dex (or int for spells) -- because these stats only provide +hit or +dmg with weapons/spells -- and you can acquire a sufficient amount of both with a "bare minimum" threshold, certain passive skills, and certain skill combos (frozen enemies seem to have 0% avoid no matter what). If they'd made these stats suck less, they could probably restructure things.
Is there anyone who took any of the weapon skill passives past rank 1? I hope no one did. Why do you need two handed weapons II? It only adds another 10% damage (but costs twice as many points to acquire). 10% more damage for an attack that will do as little as 10 damage in the early game and only as much as a couple hundred in the late game -- it's pretty paltry.
DivinityOS is about spamming stats which give HP, AP, crit, or movement speed. These stats, particuarly AP, are SUPER important because with enough AP you get 100% or 200% increased damage (every AP you acquire lets you use more attacks and skills per turn).
I generally agree the loot in DOS is pretty boring/tame, they could have added more interesting mods. Also, magic/weapon hybrid builds are pretty fucked over, no skills to make them viable and no pure elemental damage weapons (that I could find for most of the game) to make int useful for a melee fighter who isn't using spells...
DOS is in everyway way more interesting than Skyrim though. You can actually specialize in DOS and I'm thoroughly enjoying the game, almost 100 hours in. I didn't have faith Larian could make a game this good.
Mods will fix this game much easier than Skyrim. I'm already working on my enahnced/improved weapon mod mod:
CHANGELOG
Loremaster mods always accompany an additional stat (such as elemental resistance)
Luck mods always accompany an addional stat (such as elemental resistance)
Sneaking mods always accompany an additional stat (such as elemental resistance)
Hearing/sight mods always accompany an addtional stat (such as elemental resistance)
Telekinesis mods always accompany an additional stat (such as elemental resistance)
Weapons that only deal elemental damage can now randomly roll
There is some mod bias now between Crossbows and Bows.
Crushing weapons are now more common.
Added "double edged" or "cursed" stats, some examples follow:
+Armor, -Elemental Resistance
+Skill availability, -Attributes
+Notable stat gain, -Cannot be healed
+Notable weapon stat gain, notable movement penalty
+Notable spell stat gain, notable sight penalty
More hybrid armors are available, for encouraging cross-class builds.
One handed weapons that cannot backstab suck less now.
If they'd included items like these in the base game, I'd say they'd have done everything perfectly. And a few more 'unique' items would have helped a lot.
Skyrim's itemization blows by the way. Not even close.